Pivoting tools are desirable for many uses. For example, pivoting knives may have blades that can be extended for use and retracted into a handle for storage or when not in use. Further, implements such as saw blades, hooks, gut hooks, punches, restraint cutters, etc. may be advantageously pivoted between positions such as stored and use positions. As with knife blades, these other implements may be extended for use and retracted into a handle when not in use. Also, multiple implements may be provided with a tool on a single pivoting mechanism, such as a knife blade on one end and a carabiner on another end. The mechanism can pivot between a position where the knife blade is extended for use while the carabiner is received by a handle and another position where the knife blade is received by the handle and the carabiner is extended for use (sec U.S. Pat. No. 7,000,323).
It is often desirable for tools to be locked in place when in position for use. For example, it is often desirable for knife blades or saw blades to be locked in position when extended for use to assist with use and for safety reasons. Thus, several mechanisms, exist for locking knife blades and other implements in position, e.g., liner locks, lockback mechanisms, push-button locks (see U.S. Pat. No. 7,000,323), etc.
Various forms of folding knives with a bolster-actuated lock are known. Typically they have a locking rocker modified to be activated by a rotating bolster. A user opens the blade by a thumb stud or other means of contact. Once fully open, a locking rocker arm with a latching portion engages the tang of the blade. The rocker is biased to latch into a notch of the tang on the blade, thus inhibiting the blade from closing during use. The user can close the blade into the handle by pushing on the bolster that is in contact with the rocker. As the bolster rotates, the rocker latch portion is moved out of the notch in the blade tang, allowing the blade to be closed.